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2014 Persian New Year Festival & Fire Jumping | Berkeley

Posted on Mar, 17, 2014

Contributed to WCHV by WCHV

Jump over a bonfire (or watch others do it) in the ritual of “Chahr-Shanbeh Souri” as the Persian Center celebrates Nowruz, or Persian New Year to say goodbye to the darkness of winter and welcome the lightness of spring.

Inside the Persian Center, a traditional altar holds green grass, live goldfish, food and other items representative of spring called the “haftseen” or seven ‘s’s as each item on the table begins with the letter ‘s’.

Persian music, food, and craft vendors, cultural organizations, and children’s activities add to the nighttime experience. This is a free, family-friendly, non-alcoholic event held outdoors at night, rain or shine.

A Persian ritual passed down since ancient Zoroastrian times, the Persian New Year Festival, called Chahar-Shanbeh Souri, literally means ‘Eve of Wednesday” because the festival is always held on the last Tuesday of winter, just before the Vernal Equinox or first moment of spring.